


Babysitting Hazuki Kaito

by old_shizuumi151 (shizuumi151)



Series: True Love's High Fives [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Babies!, M/M, transferring from other work :)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-03-09 07:32:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3241448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shizuumi151/pseuds/old_shizuumi151
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Haru wanted to have a sleepover, and they're skirting around their hidden feelings as per usual.  But an exhausted Nagisa and a concerned Rei drop by with a guest and a hefty favour to ask, and the boys' plans for just another night at the Nanase household get shaken up.</p><p>Though it might not be so bad, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hinalilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hinalilly/gifts).



> Written pre-season 2 but post-RH duet CD

_”Yo, Haru!” Rin called out to the kitchen in awe, his voice muffled by some food still in his mouth. “Damn, what did you add to this mackerel? Tastes amazing!”_

_”Well…” Haru brushed the hair out of his eyes, watching the steam from the water rise as he cleaned the frying pan in the sink, but his glance kept flickering back to Rin guzzling on his food. “I may have added a bit more mayonnaise. Just to bring out the taste.”_

_“Whoa, mayonnaise?” Rin marvelled, chewing heartily as Haru tried to restrain a swelling pride at his breathless tone, “Damn, never would’ve guessed!” his tone was all praise as Haru put away his apron, turning to see Rin’s smile bright and a grain of rice stuck at the corner of his stretching lip. “You’ll swim later with me, yeah?” he asked happily, his corners of his eyes crinkling and his grin toothy and bright just like in elementary—_

Haru jolted from his reverie at the doorbell. The sizzling frying pan sunk back into his senses as he was thrown back in front of his stove again, though in notably less dreamy circumstances. He blinked at the mackerel slick with bubbling oil, then at the sound of another ring he pursed his lips at a hot wave washing over his cheeks. This time he couldn’t dwell over how long he had fantasised about Rin again, no matter how reckless his imagination was getting while the doorbell grew frantic.

“ _Oi, Haru!_ ” Rin’s voice shot through the door, and Haru refrained from frowning too hard at how disparate his fantasies were from reality. “Goddammit, don’t make me come around the back again…!”

“Coming.” Haru called out, hoping the colour on his cheeks had died down. He promptly slid open the door to be face-to-face with Rin, who looked as if Haru interrupted him in his stare-off with the front door.

Haru chose to ignore how heat prickled at his skin with how red Rin’s gaze was, crawling over him from head to toe. Though he was used to how much Rin’s presence seemed to gnaw at him, there wasn’t anything unusual about Rin looking at him so closely. He already threw on a respectable outfit—though it wasn’t an important aspect, just a T-shirt and some board shorts.

To his chagrin, he was considerably more interested in what Rin was wearing: dark grey cargo trousers and a deep red V-neck with a cartoon shark printed on the front. Haru eyed the colourful mess of beads and leather pooling at Rin’s wrist where he was slinging his black hoodie over his shoulder. He dimly wondered if Rin had any difficulties when it came to lifting his arm before looking back at his face, and he didn’t know what to make of the faint pink peppering Rin’s cheeks.

Maybe it was a little chilly outside. Summer weather could be weird at times.

“Jeez…” he huffed, but Haru wasn’t really fazed by his exasperation as he stepped over the threshold and toed off his sneakers. “You could be a little faster, you know?”

“My bad,” Haru said, watching Rin hook his jacket on the coathanger. “I was making lunch.”

“ _Lemme_ guess,” Rin droned, pivoting on his heel to amble towards the scent that had already latched onto Haru. “ _Mackerel_.”

“Yeah,” he answered simply, following him to the living room and continuing to the kitchen while Rin plopped himself at the kotatsu. “If you don’t like it, don’t eat it.” Haru reminded by rote. He brushed off Rin annoyed puff and slipped on his apron to deal with the fried and waiting mackerel.

“You gotta have a more balanced diet, though,” Rin clicked his tongue, though Haru only focused on that fact he didn’t voice any objections to actually eating it. “Seriously, having mackerel all the time is a crap diet.”

“It’s a good source of nutrition.” Haru countered, taking the mackerel out and putting it onto a plate at the side.

“Oh yeah? Tell me where you get your fibre, then.” Rin challenged with raised brow, leaning his elbows on the kotatsu while Haru opened the cupboard for the bowls.

“…I go to the bathroom just fine.” Haru pouted, popping open the rice cooker while he set the bowls down. Rin was caught between spluttering and gaping while the chopsticks clattered as Haru pulled some out.

“ _Jesus_ —o-okay, but _still_ ,” Rin persisted, pink in the face as Haru brought the dishes over. “Not even a _fruit_ to get you by or anything?” he asked, maintaining his disbelief while Haru passed him a pair of chopsticks.

“…Sometimes pineapple on the side,” Haru tilted his head in consideration, putting the plates down as Rin shivered at the thought, “And maybe an orange.” he shrugged, settling across from Rin on the kotatsu.

“Time to eat~” Rin chanted, clapping his hands together before he fiddled some mackerel onto his plate. “So an orange, huh…?”

“Time to eat,” Haru muttered, “Good moisture.” he explained, his eyes trained on pecking the best side of the mackerel.

“Figures,” Rin scoffed, resting his cheek onto his fist while his other separated the meat from the bones. The fried skin crackled at his chopsticks before he flicked a sly glance Haru’s way. “Yo, Haru, is it true you choked ‘cause Nagisa was feeding you _melon bread_?” he asked, completely incredulous. Haru was already swallowing his first piece of mackerel, but he forgot to savour the rich taste while giving Rin a small glare.

“It was so dry…” Haru complained quietly, trying to repress a pout as he picked up another piece.

“My god,” Rin clicked his tongue, shaking his head as Haru frowned further at him. “You’re definitely one of a kind, Haru.”

Haru’s brows furrowed at his embarrassing wording, but he kept diligently chewing his food, as calm as ever. He watched some mackerel hover at Rin’s lips before he popped it into his mouth, his eyes a dim red and relaxed as he crunched on his food. The sight put Haru at a warm ease, and when he realised this, it only threw another blanket of confusion on top of the whole situation as he pondered again.

They were at the gates of Iwatobi High when Rin had asked whether he could come over to hang out at Haru’s for the start of the weekend. Even now he didn’t know if he was staying the night or if it was just for the afternoon, but he found that it didn’t really matter, since Rin had used his things in their last sleepover.

His pose was the same as usual, Haru noted, when he had asked: hands pocketed, facing Haru head-on as he spoke to him. However, his jaw was set and his eyes were slightly frowning behind the shroud of his hair, as if rejecting him was a choice Haru wasn’t allowed to make.

Haru had to resist pulling a little face at the thought, because why would he reject Rin like that?

But then Haru did pull a face, because why was it that rejecting him wasn’t an option to either of them?

…How confusing.

“…Makoto will be camping with his family.” Haru had said, as if they were just talking about him earlier.

“I know.” Rin had replied, his gaze still firm on Haru as he considered his offer.

When he complied with a nod, he saw how Rin’s shoulders lowered at that moment, like he was relieved, before he announced when he would come over. He had also realised, after Rin’s little grin, after he was heading off back to Samezuka with his swim team, how Haru had thought of what they would do before he even questioned why Rin was even coming in the first place.

The thought made him frown some more.

Now, Rin was here. And Haru was about to ignore how a strand of hair dangled in Rin’s face, just shy of his lips where he could easily get it dirty, before his eyes lighted up in a small fascination. Haru paused, taking in how Rin was now intently focusing on the mackerel in front of them and how his chewing became slower with each passing second.

“…Hey, Haru,” Rin looked up at him, his brow drawn together in curiosity, “Did you do something new with this mackerel?”

Haru blinked at the genuine contemplation filling Rin’s voice, swallowing down his food before he responded.

“…Not really,” he picked up another piece of mackerel, “I just added a little more mayonnaise than usual.”

“ _Mayonnaise_?” Rin cocked his head, looking down at the mackerel at his plate before picking another piece with a raised brow. “Wouldn’t have guessed.” he said honestly, eating it with an impressed hum.

“…Glad you like it.” Haru said after a pause, setting down his chopsticks to go for a glass of water as Rin pursed his lips in a grunt.

“Doesn’t mean you can eat it all the time.” Rin stuck his tongue out, and Haru rolled his eyes as he picked up some cups. “…Hey, Haru?”

“Mm?” Haru hummed, checking the cups in the light to see if they were clean enough. “What is it?”

“It’s still pretty early…” Rin pondered, and Haru turned back to see him idly scratching his cheek. “Later we could go for a swim,” he shrugged, before his shoulders shook with a snort. “Pretty sure you’d be up for breaking into your own school anyway.”

Rin looked up to check whether Haru was listening, and he was taken aback to see Haru’s eyes glittering at him. Rin squinted a moment in disbelief, trying to see if he was registering the look that Haru reserved only for his precious bodies of water correctly. Rin’s face lit up in a dark blush when Haru’s mouth parted ever so slightly, like a breath was drawn out of him.

“Wh-What’s that face for…?!” Rin asked loudly, bringing a hand up to cover his own face like Haru’s attention was stinging him. His eyes flitted over Haru’s widening, like he had caught himself doing something he wasn’t supposed to, and watched how his black hair swivelled with his head as he faced the sink again.

“Nothing…” Haru said, and Rin could’ve been fooled by his voice alone that he was his same, unruffled self if he hadn’t seen his face just seconds ago. “…Just remembered something.”

“…Tch,” Rin frowned, scratching the back of his neck as his other hand clasped his ankles. “I knew you liked water, but jeez…” he sighed, wondering if his face was its normal colour again with a grimace.

Haru had always surprised him in the most unexpected ways like that, but _what_ was with _that_ expression? It had overwhelmed Rin; placid, unminding Nanase Haruka had _overwhelmed_ him in less than a second. He scowled at the fact that that was a pathetically short span of time, even shorter than all the other times that he had been emotionally jumped by him these past few weeks.

 _Crap,_ Rin gritted his teeth, trying to avoid staring at Haru’s head, his back, his legs (he didn’t even have to think of his ass before he frowned some more) as he heard a small rush of water from the kitchen. _Is it getting **that** bad…?_

He sat cross-legged at the kotatsu, an inner maelstrom threatening to break through again as Haru was softly smiling at the glasses. He watched them fill with water, appreciating how the light broke apart when the rays shone through the stream.

Then the doorbell rang.

Both their heads pivoted towards the door, then they were facing each other with the same confused look.

Rin knitted his brows while tilting his head at the door, but Haru quickly shook his head; he hadn’t invited anyone else over. He came over to table, setting down the glasses of water before he headed for the door. Rin turned around onto his hands, leaning his head so he could see the door as Haru slid it open.

“Ah,” Haru said, his stiffness dissipating. “Nagisa, Rei—”

At the sudden silence, Rin leaned back some more to spot Haru staring at…he couldn’t see from his angle. He guessed that Haru was fixed on something at their chests, but the even stranger thing was how his expression slowly filled with something akin to shock.

“Morning, Haru-chan…” Nagisa greeted, and Rin frowned at how his cheery voice sounded so weak as it drifted into quiet.

“It’s actually past noon, Nagisa-kun.” Rei reminded, and Rin cocked a brow at how soft his correction was.

“Afternoon, Haru-chan…” Nagisa greeted again. Rin heard a small yawn come from the hallway and saw Haru _still_ staring, not moving an inch and his eyes just growing wider. Rin clicked his tongue at Haru’s stunning social skills, relenting to stand himself up to join him at the door.

“Oi, Haru,” he said gruffly, pocketing his hands as he strode over. “You don’t just stand there when you got guests at the…door…”

“—oh!” Nagisa leaned past the doorway, greeting Rin with a widening smile, though not without some shocking bags underneath his lidded pink eyes dark with slow blinks. ”Rin-chan’s here too?”

“Good afternoon, Rin-san.” Rei inclined his head, pulling Rin out of his standstill to blink dumbly, averting his stare from Nagisa’s arms.

“Oh. Uh, hey…” he greeted meekly, turning back to look at the bundle Nagisa was holding. “Don’t tell me that’s—”

A fresh whimper broke from the bundle, making Rin and Haru jump as it started to wriggle in Nagisa’s arms. Nagisa head hung down to coo it back to sleep, cradling almost mechanically as the cries subsided back into a soft slumber. Rei patted Nagisa’s shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly as Rin and Haru pried away their goggling to exchange looks of complete wonder.

They looked back to the resting baby, and Haru couldn’t help a small gasp when Nagisa brushed the surrounding blanket away from its tiny face. His face was round and a milky white, and his body was so minuscule compared to any of them that he seemed fragile. His tiny frame fit perfectly in the cushion of Nagisa’s arms, peacefully sleeping throughout the faces of fatigue and awe towering around it. Rin dared to peer a little closer at its small face, and if he focused enough he could see wisps of blonde hair sticking out, a finer shade than the soft yellow blanket cocooning it. Rin flinched back when the baby moved, and his throat closed up when he realised he was completely afraid of startling it. Haru just took a small breath the light blue pacifier twisting in its mouth, and its eyes scrunching in a soundless yawn before the baby jostled a bit to settle back against Nagisa’s chest.

The silence was palpable as Rin and Haru only blinked at the infant while Nagisa was nodding off, with Rei keeping a worried eye on him at the side.

“…Aren’t you guys too young to adopt?”

“R- _Rin-san!!_ ” Rei exploded into a fluster, quickly clamping his own mouth at the baby rousing from its nap. Nagisa had barely registered the sudden volume as Haru shot a pointed look at Rin’s unfazed expression.

“ _Rin_.”

“ _Sorry_ , sorry,” Rin clasped a hand to his neck, biting his lip nervously as he leaned back. “But…uh…what’s this about, really?”

“…W-Well,” Rei adjusted his glasses, his complexion recovering from Rin’s jibe as his other hand kept trained on Nagisa so his body didn’t go off-kilter. “This is Nagisa-kun’s cousin, Kaito-chan.”

“Kaito…” Haru rolled the name over his tongue, drawing Rin’s attention so it hovered between him and the baby.

“Yes,” Rei nodded, “Kaito-chan’s parents are out on a crucial business venture, so they had to leave him with Nagisa-kun’s family. It’s been a week since he has been left in their care, but the past few days have been especially harsh on Nagisa-kun since the rest of his family is currently out on their respective affairs—“

“Wait, _all of them_?” Rin asked in disbelief, looking between Nagisa’s slump and the baby as Rei gave a slight nod.

“For the past few days, yes,” he confirmed softly, “Nagisa-kun’s sisters are out at an onsen, and his parents are not usually around,” he explained, gently brushing Nagisa’s shoulder to keep him awake. “Nagisa-kun has been diligent in taking care of him, but he’s beginning to lose sleep over his responsibilities—“

“I…” Nagisa cut in, his voice startlingly dull as Rin and Haru winced at seeing him fight the sleep dragging down his eyes. Rei held onto his shoulders carefully, though Nagisa’s grip on Kaito didn’t falter for a moment as he spoke again. “We went to…go ask…Mako-chan…but—”

“He’s not in.” Rin finished, remembering Makoto’s camp while Haru closed his mouth, pursing his lip beside him.

“…Yeah…” Nagisa’s head swayed in what was supposed to be a nod, his voice dwindling as he continued. “So me…Rei-chan…wondering…if you could—“

“Yeah,” Haru nodded, bringing everyone’s eye to him. “Sure.”

“Wha— _Haru?_ ” Rin spun around, flabbergasted at Haru’s determination while a shine began to enter Rei’s eyes.

“If it’s not too much trouble…!” Rei tried to insist, but the smile stretching across his face was too relieved to be restrained.

“ _Whoa_ , okay, _back up a moment_ ,” Rin stood in front of Haru, bringing his arms up. “Don’t get me wrong, I _do_ wanna help. But…but this is a _baby_ we’re talking about—!“

“—His name’s Kaito.” Haru cut in.

“— _Kaito_ , sorry,” he amended with a grunt, “But how are we supposed to take care of him?” he asked, desperately gesturing to the bundle. “I haven’t had to take care of Gou in _years_ , and besides Ren and Ran, Haru’s got _negative_ experience I’m pretty sure—”

“ _Oi_ —“

“ _Point_ is,” Rin persisted, waving off Haru’s annoyed look. “This is a whole new level of taking care of—“

“S-Sorry to interrupt…” Rei tentatively put a hand up, quieting Rin’s passionate outburst. “But, if it would change your mind…” he turned his head back to rifle through his messenger bag. “Nagisa-kun made a very detailed list about how to go about, well, every aspect of taking care of Kaito.” he explained, unfolding a note and holding it out to Rin and Haru.

They were standing side by side at this point, and Rin couldn’t help but feel…a little _impressed_. Nagisa’s usual scrawl was refined to something startlingly more legible, with coloured stars and exclamation points highlighting certain lines with a clarity that rivalled some of his own notes for school. Haru took the note into his hands, making Rin’s eyes follow. His gaze switched between reading over the note and Haru’s face, visually tracing his lips thin in concentration before they turned at Rei clearing his throat.

“In fact, I…had to convince Nagisa-kun to take a day’s rest. He’s been very absorbed in his task,” he informed, demonstrating his worry as they watched Nagisa reciting how to change Kaito’s diapers under his snores. “And while his dedication is remarkable, he has already worn himself out into an alarming state. So—“

“ _Alright_ , alright,” Rin ruffled his hair with a sigh. “If we know what to do, then we’d be good, so…”

“Thank you so much, Rin-san!” Rei smiled so brightly that Rin had to step back a moment at his fervent bow. “I-I know this is very sudden, but for you to accept is immensely relieving!” he stammered, flushing behind his spectacles.

“Christ, s’not like you’re asking for permission to _marry_ or anything…” Rin muttered with a cocked brow, jerking his head away in an infectious embarrassment.

“Quite,” Rei nodded, pushing up his glasses. “I suppose…the prospect that Nagisa will be able to finally enjoy himself is relieving to me.”

Rin had to blink at Rei’s small chuckle before he took off his glasses to wipe with a cloth from his pocket, and he wondered how much his tease rung true at the smile warming Rei’s face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rei briefs Rin and Haru on Kaito Caring 101

After they caught Nagisa from nearly falling against the doorframe, everyone had helped lead him and the baby to the living room. They kneeled around the table, letting Nagisa some precious rest, slouched with Kaito in his arms as Rei told Rin and Haru all the necessary information they needed.

“Kaito-chan is usually well-behaved, but he eats an impressive amount for an infant and needs his diapers changed at a considerable frequency,” he informed, holding his chin in thought while Rin and Haru blanched a little.

Not that they didn’t want to help their friend, but the idea of a munching, pooping baby taking up the house haunted their imagination.

“—However he’s quite unpredictable. On other days he’s quite docile and simply plays with some meals in between,” Rei shrugged, turning to rifle in his messenger bag.

“Hope to god Kaito’s tired today…” Rin muttered with a gulp, gripping his lap. Haru gave a terse nod on the side.

“Don’t worry,” Rei reassured, pulling out a bag onto the kotatsu while Nagisa nodded off against his shoulder, still cradling Kaito. “Or rather, you two shouldn’t need to worry, because it seems like Nagisa-kun has taken the brunt of his energy for the past few days.”

Rin and Haru looked over to Nagisa, snoring open-mouthed at Rei’s shoulder with Kaito bundled in his arms.

“S’like some war veteran…” Rin whispered as a tiny fist reached out to Nagisa’s chest.

“Yeah…” Haru agreed, just as hushed. They watched Nagisa cracking an eye open, tucking Kaito’s hand back in his blankets before instantly closing his eyes again.

“Everything seems to be in order…” Rei checked through the bag with a hum, beginning to reach in to place the objects on the table.

In that moment, Rin and Haru tensed up as their vision seemed to sharpen, beginning to realise how important of a duty they were taking on for their friend.

* * *

Around two minutes in, it felt like they should have read up on something to do with babies like they had procrastinated on it during Rei’s immense info dump.

“Kaito-chan is a year old, so he’s able to crawl around quite a lot, however he can only toddle around for a few seconds. Here are some baby-proofing plugs that you can install later. It should go without saying that he shouldn’t ever stray into the kitchen, and you should remove any potentially dangerous items he could come in contact with…

“Here’s Kaito-chan’s feeding bottle and milk formula. Though he’s still being breast-fed, it’s only temporary. It’s important that you test its temperature by shaking a few drops onto your wrist…

“He’s past most of his teething stage, so it’s unlikely you need these teething toys, but here’s one in case. Although it would be wise if you leave him with his pacifier, otherwise he might throw a tantrum which can be taxing the first time around…

“You must never shake a baby. It will be highly damaging for their brains since their skulls are still in development. Also, such brashness could prove to be fatal, not to mention that frustrations should never progress to the point that Kaito-chan should suffer from them. On a lighter note, you’ll find that commanding him during a tantrum is considerably ineffective…

“At some point Kaito-chan will want to play, so here are his toys that you’ll need. Though he seems to like the rattle, he’s quite fond of this penguin plush toy, so presenting it should help when he seems upset or stubborn…

“…Spare clothing,” Rei brought up a pink onesie with a yellow penguin in the middle by the fingers. “In case he soils himself too much. Unlikely, but again it is better to be safe than be sorry. And on that note—”

Rei heaved a massive bag onto the table. The slap on wood made Rin and Haru’s eyes both go wide.

“A diaper pack. You might not need this much, but as I’ve said, Kaito-chan has proven to be quite unpredictable,” he stated, making them purse their lips at the diaper pack that was bigger than Kaito himself. “And now I’ll demonstrate how to change a diaper. Nagisa-kun, may I—”

He stopped. Nagisa had fallen asleep with a bit of drool on his shoulder, just like how he often did after a rigorous day of swimming on the train home.

Rei puffed air through his nose, smile warm as he measuredly scooped Kaito out of Nagisa’s slack arms.

“Hello there, Kaito-chan,” he cooed. Curious pink eyes blinked up at Rei, before Kaito’s lips spread into a giddy smile of recognition.

His chubby arms wrestled out of the blanket to reach for Rei’s glasses, and he chuckled as Kaito kept grabbing at his shirt.

“Now now, I have to show Haruka-senpai and Rin-san how to change your diaper. You can play with my glasses later, okay?” he rocked Kaito against him as he carefully peeled off his fluffy blanket, and Kaito squealed gleefully behind his pacifier.

While Rei laid the blanket out on the kotatsu for Kaito, Rin couldn’t focus so much on how he described each stage as on how he didn’t mind Nagisa sleeping against him. Nagisa’s hands fell into Rei’s lap just as he removed Kaito’s diaper after his yellow onesie, and he reached for a fresh diaper as if Nagisa wasn’t nuzzling against his shoulder and murmuring in his sleep.

And the most inexplicable frustration bubbled inside him when he glanced back at Haru, half a foot away and intently watching Rei’s directions.

“Rin-san, you are paying attention, right?” Rei asked, clamming up when Rin’s head suddenly jerked to his gaze. “ _Uh_ , that is—I only mean—"

“No, it’s fine,” Rin shook his head, thankful that Haru was pouting at Kaito diaper-less and wiggling against his blanket on the kotatsu and hadn’t noticed anything. “I…was distracted a moment. Could you run that by me again?”

His gaze caught on Nagisa’s mushing against Rei’s shoulder, before finally meeting Rei’s eyes. Rei looked between him and Haru briefly, and the slight crease in his brow was enough to make Rin bite his lip in anxiety.

Then his features softened into an understanding smile.

“Of course, Rin-san,“ Rei nodded patiently, making him blink. ”So, this is the tab you need to unfold to loosen his diaper…”

* * *

Haru tilted his head, trying to focus on how Rei folded the diaper instead of Rin at his side. How absorbed Rin was in learning after his little distraction, watching him register each step with a grunt and commit every action to memory.

Soon Rei was lifting Kaito up to wrap him in his blanket again, letting him pat his face and grab the hook of his glasses.

“So…s’that it?” Rin asked, rubbing his neck as Rei squeezed an eye shut at Kaito happily clutching his cheek.

“Yes,” Rei nodded with a chortle, peeking between Kaito’s fingers at the baby care items placed on the table. “That should cover everything. If you face any difficulties, you can easily contact me or Nagisa-kun,” he reassured, settling Kaito wrapped and warm in his arms, just above his lap. “Though everything should be manageable—”

“ _EH?!_ ”

Everyone, even the baby, turned to the sight of Nagisa jumping away from Rei’s shoulder, frantically looking at his between his palms, open in front of him.

“Nagisa, what’s wrong—“

“ _Kaito-chan!_ ” Nagisa wrenched his head up, and Haru nearly fell back at the panic in his eyes. “Where’s Kaito-chan! I-I was just holding him and _now he’s—!_ “

“Oi, _Nagisa_ ,” Rin leaned forward. “It’s fine—“

“It’s _not_ fine, Rin-chan!” Nagisa insisted, so concerned and desperate that it made Rin back away. “I…have to find Kaito-chan! I…I promised I would—!”

“Nagisa-kun,” Rei gently clasped his shoulder, and Nagisa yanked his head to face him. “He’s right here.”

Nagisa blinked at him once, three times, before Rei nudged his other arm below his gaze. He looked down to see pink eyes blinking up at him, and the Hazukis lit up at the sight of each other.

“ _Kaito-chan~!_ ” Nagisa cried happily, swooping Kaito up into his arms. He stopped a moment, lowering Kaito back onto his lap to see Rin and Haru, blinking and sitting across from him. “ _Ohh,_ I remember now!” he turned to Rei and then back to Kaito, his smile pushing up the bags under his eyes. “Sorry I was acting silly, Kaito-chan! I thought I lost you, but you were never lost, were you?”

Kaito squealed with joy as Nagisa wiggled his finger at his blanket, his pacifier bouncing with his laughter. Rin bit back a smile threatening to inch across his own face, Rei was already unabashedly glowing, and even Haru bared the smallest of grins at the radiating affection.

After a moment, Rei caught the light from the balcony outside, and he checked his watch.

“Nagisa-kun?”

“Yeah, Rei-chan?” he gave a smile, some of his sprightly energy seeping back while Kaito kept playing with his finger.

“We have to leave now if we want to catch the movie.” Rei informed him, almost apologetic.

“What’s this?” Rin crossed his arms in interest. “You two have plans?”

“U- _Um_!” Rei nearly jolted at the question, and his mouth popped open and shut for a few counts. “Y-Yes! That is—”

“ _Yup!_ “ Nagisa chimed in. ”We’ve got a date!”

The room fell silent, save for Rei’s gentle choking.

“Really?” Haru tilted his head.

“…Huh,” Rin blinked. “Didn’t think I was right.”

“Na-Na- _Nagisa-kun…!!_ ” Rei yelped desperately, and to his dismay Nagisa just shuffled closer against him.

“What? It’s true, though,” he pouted, bouncing Kaito in his arms.

“Y- _Yes_ , but,” Rei’s hand fumbled while he straightened his glasses, his cheeks a blaring red. “I wanted to make a formal announcement about it! I had all the proceedings planned with every reaction accounted for, too, and—!”

“ _Eh_ , you did?! I’m so sorry, Rei-chan!” Nagisa’s eyes darted around in thought, and he gasped in triumph. “—I take it back, we’re not dating!”

“ _You can’t just lie like that either!!_ ”

“Jeez, you guys…” Rin tried to inject his usual exasperation into his huff, but he couldn’t ward off the grin tugging at his lips.

Rei turned scarlet with his glasses at Nagisa guiltlessly stoking him, swaying Kaito all the while. The whole situation struck Rin as the most domestic scene he had seen in a long time.

And, when he realised that it had been one that he may have been _imagining_ for some time, his gut twisted.

“It’s fine,” Haru spoke up. Rei and Nagisa stopped to turn to his smile while Rin coughed back his composure.

“Yeah, it’s great that you’re dating,” Rin nodded, and a wide grin broke out. “I’m really happy for you guys.”

He didn’t have to glance over to know that Haru agreed. Rei and Nagisa’s lips already began to stretch, and they really twinkled for the first time that afternoon. And when they laughed their thanks as they huddled with Kaito between them, Rin couldn’t help but think he was having a sneak peek of the kindest family he’d get to know.

He looked over to Haru and wondered if he was thinking the same thing, memorising how his eyes shone for them so brilliantly.

“Called it,” Rin said under his breath, chuckling when Haru nodded.

* * *

Under questions from Haru and jibes from Rin, Rei and Nagisa started to recount when they first started liking each other, and when Nagisa’s uncle came over with Kaito. Eventually, after Nagisa wrapped up the tale of how Rei finally asked him out ‘the beautiful way’ on his fourth try, they were all back at the front door and waiting again.

“Nagisa, you gotta hand him over _some_ time.” Rin drawled in a sigh, wondering which other cloud had crawled behind Nagisa’s head.

“I know that…” he murmured, pouting as he brushed a bit of hair dusting over Kaito’s forehead. “I’m just used to carrying him around now…”

“We’ll only be out for the day, Nagisa-kun,” Rei reminded, his smile reassuring. “You’ll see Kaito-chan after we enjoy this evening.”

“…Okay…” Nagisa relented, puffing out his cheeks a second before looking up at Rin and Haru expectantly. “ _So_ , which one of you wants to carry Kaito-chan first?”

“—I’ll do it.” Haru volunteered immediately, and Rin audibly shut his lips as he watched him step forward.

“Cool as ever, Haru-chan!” Nagisa marvelled, beaming as if the tops of his cheeks weren’t splotched with grey. “Rin-chan, I expect you to step up more unless Haru outdoes you!”

“— _Never!_ ” Rin barked out of reflex, leaving Nagisa giggling. “He’ll _need_ the practice if he wants to even be a _match_ for my babysitting!”

“Dream on…” Haru mumbled at Rin’s scoff, but then he went back to a wide-eyed silence at Nagisa stepping closer with Kaito in his hold.

“Okay, Haru-chan…” Nagisa murmured, full of care as he angled his arms out with Kaito swathed in yellow. “Softly-softly~ ”

“…Right…” Haru was hushed as he brought his palms up, awkward and unsure as Nagisa slowly dolloped Kaito into his arms.

“That’s it…” Nagisa whispered in praise, biting his tongue as he felt Kaito’s weight patiently leave his grip and sink into Haru’s embrace.

Haru swallowed. He found himself staring down at Kaito’s face, round and shrouded by his blanket as he sunk into the folds of his arms. Soon, Nagisa was gently prying his hands away, and everyone’s eyes fell on Kaito adjusting to Haru’s cradle.

He felt Rin approach from the side, but said nothing. Haru’s neck craned as he became astonished at how _small_ Kaito was, how the little baby brimmed with so much life.

“Nnm…?” Kaito’s button nose scrunched up in a whimper, and a sob broke out. “ _Mweh…!_ ”

Haru froze. A cold fear of dropping Kaito rolled over him.

Rin and Rei started in alert, but Nagisa swept close in less than a second, bringing a hand up to stroke Kaito while Haru kept every limb still.

“S’okay, it’s okay, Kaito-chan,” Nagisa cooed, bringing his finger up the blanket, just at the ring of his quivering pacifier. “It’s Haru-chan. You know Haru-chan, the beautiful swimmer I’ve been telling you about? He’s the guy that loves to swim,” he reminded the sniffling baby while Haru blinked at them. “Especially with Rin-chan, the guy with shark teeth who loves competing with Haru-chan!” he added cheerfully, and Rin wrinkled his nose over what to feel at the comment. “They’re the best teammates in the world, along with Rei-chan and Mako-chan, and they’re gonna take great care of you,” he told Kaito, full of softness as he calmed, blinking slower at Nagisa’s soothing tone. “So don’t worry, okay? I won’t be gone for long…”

After Nagisa’s lulling words faded with the strokes on Kaito’s head, he gurgled with the biggest smile his tiny lips could manage with his pacifier.

“Aha!” His head turned to look Haru in the eye, and his breath left him in a small awe as Kaito wriggled closer to him in delight. “ _Oo…!_ ”

Haru automatically shifted his shoulders to bring him closer to his chest, swallowing nervously when Kaito gleefully batted at his shirt.

“You don’t need to be nervous, Haru-chan!” Nagisa said sunnily, and Haru’s neck whipped up so he could giggle at his visible gulp. “It might feel like you’re gonna drop him, but you really won’t,” Nagisa shook his head.“I’ll never forgive you if you do, though!”

“I won’t,” he promised swiftly, blinking when Nagisa put his hands to his stomach in laughter.

“Nagisa-kun, you shouldn’t scare Haruka-senpai like that,” Rei chided before turning to Haru, “Please don’t worry, we fully trust you and Rin-san,” he assured, and suddenly Haru registered that Rin was lingering behind, tracing the floorboards with his toe. “There is no reason no worry. Shall we, Nagisa-kun?”

“Right…” Nagisa answered, chewing on his lip for a moment as he watched Kaito again. He leaned in and left a peck at Kaito’s forehead. “Love you, Kai-chan…”

Kaito smiled wide. “Hee!”

Haru took pause at the fondness in Nagisa’s smile, remembering even after his eager wave and when he dashed off with Rei. He slid the door shut with his foot, making sure he was holding Kaito secure in both arms.

When he turned around, he found Rin leering at him.

“ _Man_ , you’re high-strung today, aren’tcha?” he sniggered, elbow going up to lean on Haru’s shoulder.

Rin flinched when he jerked away, nearly glaring.

“Don’t do that,” he scolded. Rin blinked out of sheer surprise, while Haru’s eyes cast down to Kaito nuzzling his head against his chest. “…Not while I’m holding him…”

He was about to make some comeback, but only gaped at Haru tucking Kaito in with the softest expression that Rin had ever seen him with.

_… **Crap**._

Rin bit his knuckle, his cheeks hurting like he ate something too sweet as Haru started to rock Kaito in his cradle. He turned away just after Haru’s eyes went a little rounder in accomplishment, feeling his face growing hot as his eye fell onto the kotatsu.

“H-Haru, you gotta plug those baby-proofing things in.” he reminded, clearing his throat.

“Okay…” he pursed his lips. Rin nearly snorted at the disappointment that filled his voice.

“Pass him over,” he urged, his smile countering Haru’s pout as Kaito blinked up at them. “I’ll let you hold him again after you’re done with the plugs, yeah? I don’t think you’ve got so many anyhow.”

“…Yeah,” Haru conceded. He dipped in his chin to see Kaito staring up at him, and sighed a little. “Alright. Get your arms out.”

“Right, right…” Rin held out his palms, leading his arms out and waited for Kaito.

He almost took a step back when Haru approached closer—his eyes inches away and gazing into his.

“Closer…”

Rin was mesmerised by his eyes, blue and half-lidded, flicking down to Kaito brushing at his forearms.

“O-Oh. Yeah,” Rin cleared his throat, and his breath stuttered as Haru came closer, nudging his arms up before their arms pressed each other.

Rin suddenly experienced a fresh anxiety as Haru passed Kaito to him, tensing at him being so close, yet stiff and deliberate, every action slow like Kaito was fragile. “You won’t break him, you know…”

“…This is new.” Haru muttered.

“Yeah, still,” Rin huffed. Soon enough Kaito was nestled at his chest, and he was grinning before making his way to the kotatsu. “ _See_? That wasn’t so bad.”

Haru didn’t respond to his smirk, and instead watched Rin cradle Kaito to a natural rhythm. He squealed in joy when Rin bobbed him up and down, and Haru’s heart helplessly fluttered at his cheeky smile.

“I’ll go deal with the plugs now…” He quickly edged around Rin, scooping the baby-proofers in hand.

Rin couldn’t help but look at Haru’s retreating form, and pouted down at Kaito again. “So antsy over a baby…”

His plans to just hang out with Haru had been pretty much shot, he figured it couldn’t be so bad. It was only for a day, and Kaito seemed harmless. Really, it was only like they were going to raise a kid together.

Rin’s eyes went wide. “ _Oh._ ”

Kaito giggled, grabbing for his red cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man i shaved like 1000 words off in the editing process this i used to be so unbelievably wordy


	3. Chapter 3

Rin sat cross-legged at the _kotatsu_ again. He couldn’t help but watch how easily Kaito nestled in his arms and his lap, and stared at him curiously.

Kaito…was annoyingly cute.

Rin frowned at this. 

He brought a finger up to pry into the fold of his blanket, as if to check if Kaito was actually as cute as he made himself out to be. Tilting his head, he wondered if all babies were supposed to be so…roly-poly. Chubby. That was the word, he decided. 

He lightly poked into Kaito’s cheek, just out of interest. Kaito tilted his head away to look at his finger, and back up at Rin like his round eyes were asking a little question.

“S’just your cheek…” Rin pouted, and he poked him some more.

Kaito’s pacifier shifted each time he did it, which was a little funny. He had some weird proportions, too; his head made nearly a third of his tiny height, and every part of him was just unbelievably soft, like some cushion with baby-smooth skin instead of velvet.

“…What am I doing?” Rin sighed, as if to ask the ceiling, “I’m poking a goddamn baby—” he clammed up, registering the swear word. His head craned back down, and saw Kaito's innocent, pink, guilt-tripping eyes. “You’re not gonna remember that."

In response, Kaito’s hands wiggled out of his blanket. Then his body, and then his head, which turned out to have downy blonde hair. Soon, Rin blinked at Kaito completely extracting himself from the blankie, and was mildly impressed. His stubby arms grabbed for Rin’s chest as he turned onto his stomach, making him plop onto Rin’s lap. Rin cocked a brow at Kaito wriggling on his leg, clad in his yellow onesie as he grabbed Rin’s knee to pull himself out.

“Oi,” Rin grunted, keeping Kaito in place with a hand. His palm took up half of Kaito’s back. “Where d’you think you’re going?” 

His brow shot up when Kaito managed to wrestle out of his grip, eventually perching over Rin’s knee. He leaned over when Kaito plopped onto the tatami, scooping him up so his two hands encircled his whole torso. 

“C’mere, you,” Rin lifted him up to sit on the tabletop, so that Kaito faced his stern expression. “You’re not going anywhere till Haru’s finished plugging those things in.” Even through his chiding, Kaito still squirmed in his huge hands. “Christ, you like to move, huh?” he chuckled, and Kaito's blonde hair tousled excitedly as he looked around the room. Probably for the best places to crawl. “…I’ll let you loose after Haru comes back,” he decided, watching Kaito bounce his tiny body on the table in an attempt to move.

“Yeah, he takes a long time, doesn’t he?” he mused, nodding in self-agreement. “He does that all the time when he takes his baths. He’s the weirdest guy,” he leaned in closer, so he was looking into Kaito’s attentive, round eyes. “Did you know he was a book of waterfalls under his bed?” he whispered furtively, continuing as Kaito bopped Rin’s arms with his hands. “And he eats nothing but mackerel? And he ‘only swims free’? Or...” Rin back-tracked, recalling Haru blurry beneath his tears in a small flush. Which made him remember how he and the guys had made Haru laugh in the locker room, and Rin’s cheeks went even darker with a cringe. "Used to, at least.

“The guy can be such an idiot at times,” Rin snorted weakly, but his face fell soft. “But...I guess I like that idiot…” he admitted, before his eyes flicked up to Kaito’s. “You’re not gonna gurgle that to him or something, are you?”

He searched for trust in Kaito's inquisitive, baby face. When he only blinked, and brought his tiny fist up to rap Rin on the cheek, he scowled a bit. 

“What, is that encouragement or are you trying to punch me?” he asked dryly, and then when Kaito pinched his cheeks and leaned his little head in as if to examine his sharp teeth, he groaned. “Man, I just gave my confession to a baby, what is _wrong_ with—”

He flinched at the sound of a sneeze behind him.

“Haru—!” he jerked back from Kaito, looking over to see Haru by the hallway. Haru quirked a brow at him while he cleared his throat, trying again. “I mean, uh...you done?”

Haru paused, studying the lingering pink in Rin's cheeks.

“...Yeah." he finally said, nodding. "I put away anything dangerous he could touch. You can go make the baby formula,” he suggested, his socks padding against the tatami as he sat himself beside Rin. He settled cross-legged, and found Rin staring at him strangely, like he had grown something on his face. “…Rin?”

“Ah…yeah,” his eyes darted away, trying to ignore how he felt Haru's stare at his gulp. He nodded briskly. “Yeah sure.”

He lifted Kaito up so that Haru could hold him, committing himself to forget how domestic Haru had sounded and reminding himself it was leagues too early to imagine them getting married.

“Why is he out of his blanket?”

He looked up to see Haru frowning in some worry, looking at the fabric piled at his lap and Kaito in his onesie, his arms like sausages in his palms.

Why did everything have to scream _domestic_ at Rin?

“He’s a kicker,” he shrugged, before his eyes widened in alarm. “ _—Oi!_ ”

Haru’s grip faltered, and drew a swift breath through his nose before Rin swiftly moved in. His hand made a makeshift seat for Kaito's bottom.

“ _Christ_ , Haru…” he exhaled shakily, while Kaito gurgled none the wiser. "Could you be a little more careful? _Please?_ "

“Sorry…” he murmured.

Rin scrunched his brow, frustrated with the apology filling Haru’s eyes. He clicked his tongue, shuffling closer so he was just rolling Kaito over to him.

“S’fine…” he muttered, more to himself than anything while Kaito’s little socked feet passed over their legs. He subtly swallowed, feeling Haru's warmth through their pressed thighs. “Just have to...be careful…”

Haru nodded in response, but he felt like handling adorable dynamite as Kaito completely settled at his lap. Maybe he was a little afraid. Kaito was flooding with a raw, delicate life that he felt responsible for. That he _was_ responsible for.

Not that Rin deciding to linger helped matters, with his chin nearly hovering at his shoulder and their legs still pressed together. 

But Haru was too distracted to ask for some space. Though most things like swimming, cooking, or art could come easily to him, having Kaito kicking in his hold definitely unnerved him.

Rin clucked his tongue. “Told you he’s a kicker.”

Haru felt his warmth fading as he stood, and staved off any disappointment that welled up in him. He blankly let Kaito manhandle his shirt, and tried not to squirm when he saw Rin's gaze on them.

“Y-Yeah…” Haru muttered, just as Kaito climbed up his chest. His tiny palm shoved at his jaw, and panic doused Haru’s eyes when he found his balance tipping. “Wait, Kaito, _stop_ —” His back unfurled on the tatami in a quiet ' _oof_ ', making him uncross his legs and flutter his eyes open to Kaito giggling on his chest. “O-Oi…” 

Haru hurriedly propped himself up onto his elbows, not wanting Kaito to crawl onto his face. He stopped when Kaito brought his arms up, splaying his fingers against Haru’s cheeks. He squinted when Kaito pulled at the corners of his eyes, debating whether to pry him off or let him handle his face.

“Aw, he _likes_ you,” Rin cooed, stifling his laugh when Haru could only give a muffled grunt in response. 

Watching Haru discomposed with Kaito all over him made Rin grin with mirth. Then he spotted Kaito’s toys waiting on the table, and decided to throw a lead in. He went over after picking up a penguin plush, and knelt beside Haru.

“…Here,” he placed the toy penguin by Haru's hand. “This oughta help.”

Haru fumbled to grasp the penguin and properly sit himself up, all while trying to ease Kaito back at his lap. The sight of Haru out of his element only softened Rin's smile, somehow.

“Thanks,” he grunted, before turning to Kaito. Haru pressed his lips, wondering what to do as he brought the penguin into vision. Before he could even consider using baby-speak, Kaito babbled in delight, starting to grab at at the penguin as his eyes lit up with joy.

“I’m gonna go make that baby formula now,” Rin announced. He picked up the feeding bottle with some powder, swiftly heading for the kitchen so he could divert the impending warmth on his face.

“Got it…” Haru murmured, a warm smile spreading across his lips as Kaito happily shook the penguin up and down on his stomach. 

Though he made breathing a touch more demanding, Kaito wasn’t all that heavy. He happily squeezed the penguin half his size, his baby face snuggling into its fluffy belly feathers. Haru finally felt at peace for a moment as he gently slid Kaito off, so he could play more freely on the tatami. Haru rested his body against his arm, relaxing as he watched Kaito squeal with his beloved penguin.

After a while, he was sending glances Rin's way more and more often. Haru ended up paying less attention to Kaito, silently watching Rin mix the baby formula with water. He noticed Rin had tied his back in a ponytail, and idly thought how his maroon shirt complemented the soft, short locks.

When he started to realise how his shirt complemented the broadness of his shoulders, Haru grew worried at the heat beginning to speckle his face. But unlike before, he couldn't take his eyes off of Rin's body. He watched Rin's efficiency, and how the shapely muscles in his arms shifted when he poured the formula into the bottle. His gaze traced how his wide chest tapered into his slim waist, and rested on his strong hips. Haru felt a twinge of disappointment that his cargo trousers didn't hug around his thighs like his swimsuit did, and a lingering shame burned his ears.

The red, translucent patches at Rin's thighs flashed behind his eyelids, and the thought of how tight and taut his legskin made Rin's body look.

Haru swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth, the heat that Rin inspired in his gut a quietly familiar one.

Something about Rin made Haru feel something. Anything about Rin would _always_ make Haru feel something.

Rin's entire figure showed off how much he trained, how much he dedicated himself to his dream, how much he held the drive to succeed.

How Rin's hair went dark with water, his wispy bangs clinging to his forehead and how he pushed them back, grinning wide after another race. How Rin's chest heaved when he panted afterwards. How Rin's smile went wide and bright when he slung his arm over his shoulder. How Rin's hair tickled his ear as he leered with a tease, a flush always sprinkling his cheeks. 

How Rin's tears were warm and wet, dripping onto his face, making Haru's heart feel so bright and free even in the shadows of the tree.

How Rin's sobs were choked at his shoulder when they saw that sight again.

How Rin could be so serious when he was studying or swimming, and have the sneakiest smile when they were out together.

How Rin's barking laughter should have been more annoying than elating.

How wide Rin's eyes were when he read out his letter to _My Shining_.

How Rin wrestled with him, eyes glinting when discovered his waterfall collection.

How peaceful, unguarded, and young Rin looked when he slept, like he was next to Haru and they were in elementary school all over again. 

How Rin looked away with a tinge of pink on his cheek, before he said where his toy dolphin was.

How he could always, always move Haru's heart. Always make his fingers tingle, his chest burst, his stomach bottom out. How he wanted to reach out to Rin, steeped in that light, grab hold of him, and just get a _taste_ of what he really—

Haru jerked his head down at the table, dread curling in his gut. The diaper pack glared at his twisted lip.

What was he doing? What was he _thinking_?

They were rivals, once teammates, and always friends, above all else. Their races were to enjoy the water, and their time was to enjoy with each other. Haru pursed his lip at the heat washing his body, refusing to wallow in his selfish thoughts of Rin any longer. He had already indulged in them enough in private, and to fixate on them now, when they were supposed to help their friends, would be an insult to their friendship.

And Rin was attractive enough. There could've been someone else. Someone in Australia. Or, more likely, he had to only focus on his swimming. For all of Rin's jabs, he'd never expressed any interest in anything aside from excellence, in swimming or in school. So there was no reason to get his hopes up. There was no reason to think that Rin, bright and shining, would ever look at Haru, and think, for a fleeting moment:

_Is this liking someone?_

Kaito's babbling grounded Haru to reality, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed a bath.

* * *

Rin flicked the hair off of his brow, lowering his shoulders with a huff when he screwed the bottle shut. It took a few tries to get the ratio of powder to water right, but soon he was grinning at his first bottle of formula.

“Alright,” Rin sighed, satisfied. He snatched up the bottle before he headed into living room. “Haru, I’ve finished with the—" he paused. "...Haru.”

“Yeah?” 

Haru removed his gaze from the table to see Rin, deadpan and pointing at Kaito. 

“What’s he doing with the penguin?”

Haru knitted his brow. He turned to see Kaito stuffing the plush's head into his mouth, his pacifier forgotten between his legs.

“…He’s eating it,” Haru decided, before leaning over to pry Kaito away. He pouted at the slobber over the baby’s chin, and retrieved some tissue to dab it away while Kaito whimpered. “I think he’s hungry.”

Rin sighed roughly, marching over with the bottle in hand.

“I turn around for two minutes and Kaito’s tryin’ to—" he paused, twisting his lip. "...Freakin’ digest his toys.” 

Haru cocked his brow. "Freakin'?"

The question earned a pink-faced grunt from Rin, who didn’t seem as gruff shaking milk onto his wrist.

“Trying not to swear here…” he mumbled, sitting himself next to Haru. Their knees brushed, and Rin endured the traces of a momentary exhilaration from their contact.

“I don’t think he’d remember,” Haru said, turning back to tend to Kaito’s dribbling mouth. His face was messy with slobber, but only pity pinched Haru's brow at how Kaito looked to be on the verge of tears.

“Yeah, well…” Rin muttered, his cheeks tinted with self-consciousness as he reached for Kaito. “I wouldn’t wanna risk it.”

Warmth rippled outward where Rin shifted by his side. Haru could only go stock-still as Rin sprawled over his lap, trying to focus on keeping his breath level, instead of how Rin’s shirt hiked up to reveal a strip of pale skin. His arms pressing against Haru's thigh when he picked up Kaito with ease, and Haru briefly wondered if Rin had any idea what he was doing to him.

Haru’s tension melted away when Rin shuffled Kaito in his lap. He pinched the rubber teat of the milk bottle, and Haru watched, spellbound as he guided it towards Kaito's little lips. Kaito latched the bottle like a koala on a branch, sucking his milk with a satisfied hum. He glanced up at Rin, whose gaze held so much warmth for the baby in his arms that Haru's breath hitched in his throat.

“What a messy baby…” Rin murmured, thumbing some slobber off of Kaito's cheek. 

His shoulders shook with a chuckle when Kaito gurgled in protest, furrowing his small brow. He afforded a smile when Kaito relaxed with his milk, though not without trying to hide it with a huff as he angled Kaito to be more comfortable. 

Haru studied the curve of Rin’s cheekbone in his smile, the way his neck slanted over protectively. The muscles of his arms were stark and firm next to Kaito, who was all fluff and soft skin.

_...Cute._

“Hm? What’d you say?”

Haru blinked. He found Rin's eyes curious on his.

"What?”

“Uh, you said something?” Rin arched a brow, before making sure Kaito's bottle didn’t tip onto his chest. “And I didn’t hear you.”

As Haru processed the words, his surprise morphed into confusion, before sharpening into anxiety. Never, ever had he clumsily voiced his inner thoughts, and the increasingly real possibility that that happened gnawed at his consciousness.

“It’s…” His eyes flicked over Rin’s peaceful form, calm and attentive on Kaito. He then cleared his throat, and looked away in a short swallow. “It’s nothing.”

Haru turned away to stare at the _kotatsu_ , resolutely ignoring Rin’s stare and how his heat radiated so insistently, almost suffocating him. After an age, he stood himself up, his vision skirting around Rin as he piled up the items on the table into his hands one by one.

“I’ll put these away,” he mumbled, ignoring how his ribcage seemed to press on his heart as he hauled the diapers and toys in his arms.

“…Sure.” Rin shrugged, eyeing him till he left the living room. He turned back to Kaito, and the seconds passed as he heard Haru’s footsteps go farther and farther, until there was only the sound of the fan humming in the corner.

After four seconds of silence, a full-body blush crept up to Rin's face.

“He was saying you were cute," Rin muttered, his face reddening in a defiant frown. "I don't care if he was looking at me when he whispered, because _you're_ the cute one here. I’m not cute; I’m manly as…heck,” he winced. 

Kaito giggled, reaching for his blaring cheeks. Rin failed to give him a pointed look.

“Quiet, you,” he couldn't even hiss, putting the teat back at Kaito’s lips while trying not to replay how soft Haru’s voice was next to him. "S’not funny..."

Meanwhile, Haru leaned against the washing machine, the supplies scattered across the ironing board. He covered his pursed lip with his palm, wondering how to control himself as his cheeks grew a slow pink in a desperate frown.

**Author's Note:**

> **Original notes:**
> 
>  
> 
> Okay so I was working on this for the past few days and it's just getting sO long I need to post it in parts otherwise I might never get it out x) I got the inspiration from recounting my headcanon to Hinalilly on Skype and, well, it turned into this :D
> 
> I have like _5000_ more words of this sitting on my laptop, so I'll post it up when _something actually happens_ :'D
> 
> **Present notes:**
> 
> to hinalilly, who i spilled this headcanon to and fondly remembered upon reading the original notes of this baby fic :')
> 
> i felt like reposting some chapters in my collection fics, since i feel like they're a bit neglected hidden away with a bunch of other drabbles—this babysitting fic especially, since i put the time and effort in it to make it multi-chaptered (but it's still incomplete tho ahha a)
> 
> my writing's style's changed a tad since writing this—this was actually written pre-season 2 (but after the RH duet cd, i just realised), but i'm setting myself a set amount of chapters to get this shit SORTED and FINISHED.
> 
> i've already written 3 chapters to this, and i'm setting 2 additional ones to wrap it up—so it should finish in 5 chapters! hopefully!
> 
> even if you've read this before, i hope this is an enjoyable read! ^^/


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